Doors 7:45 PM, Music 8:30 PM – 2 set(s) of music
Line-up:
Alison Rayner – Bass
Buster Birch – Drums
Deirdre Cartwright – Guitar
Diane McLoughlin – Saxophone
Steve Lodder – Piano
About
Celebrate 10 years of Alison Rayner’s multi award-winning quintet ARQ and a live recording of their fourth album ‘ARQ at Ten – Semaphore’.
Led by bassist and composer Alison Rayner, ARQ are widely celebrated for their richly nuanced compositions, rhythmic interplay and folk-infused melodies, creating a cinematic quality and strong sense of narrative. These are ‘songs without words’ and the group are lauded for their vibrant, communicative performances.
They have built their reputation on years of UK and European touring and are critically acclaimed for their three album releases. Their third album Short Stories (2019) received extensive press acclaim and international radio play. ‘Short Stories’ made No.1 in the Amazon Jazz chart and additionally, ‘There is a Crack in Everything’ from the album won an Ivor Novello Composer Award.
Blow the Fuse built a relationship of over 30 years, working with the Vortex, initially promoting weekly gigs at the ‘old place’ on Church Street in the early 90s and releasing a 1994 compilation album of live performances featuring Ian Shaw, John Etheridge, Liane Carroll and many more. Their relationship with the Vortex continued with the move to
Gillett Square and Blow the Fuse have presented many seasons of gigs; ARQ initially developed within this framework and their debut Album ‘August’ released in 2014, was recorded live at the club.